With microscopes, it is known to fix components, such as objectives, condensers, lens tubes, lamp housing, etc., in the form of modules to the microscope stand or to other microscope constituents, such as for example an objective nosepiece. The precise orientation of these components on the stand or objective nosepiece is of great importance. Bayonet locks for microscope objectives are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 289,904, 2,496,928 or DE 2849932 C2. The bayonet lock is assembled by introducing an insertion part axially into a flange ring of the bayonet and then locking it there by rotation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,202,461 C1 also describes a bayonet lock for a microscope objective which additionally has a centring cone for centring the objective of the insertion ring in the flange ring. The bayonet lock described in this published document is only complete when a screw insert with three radially projecting spring lugs is installed.
The named bayonet locks all have the disadvantage that the rotation position of the part to be attached is determined only with an accuracy of approximately 10°. The same is true for conventional screw joints with which a component is screwed in. Screw joints also have the disadvantage that the respective component must be rotated 360° several times over. Thus, with asymmetrically constructed components, such as are present in the case of microscope objectives with laterally arranged drive motors, the maximum radius of the asymmetrical part defines the diameter that is available for screwing in.
A highly precise definition of the angular position of an optical component is, however, extremely desirable in particular in microscopy. Firstly, a simple contacting mechanism for conducting electrical signals is only possible in this way. Secondly, there is a plurality of optical applications in which a particular angular position (also called rotation position) of the component is required. The positions of phase shutters, polarizers or coupled-in illumination beam paths offset vis-à-vis the optical axis may be mentioned purely by way of example.